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Race, control, mastery, and caregiver distress
B Miller1, R T Campbell, C J Farran
1Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, USA.
Summary
Psychological resources like sense of control and caregiver mastery impact dementia caregiver distress. While African American caregivers reported less depression, the underlying processes influencing distress did not differ by race.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Psychology
- Sociology
Background:
- Caregiving for individuals with dementia presents significant psychological challenges.
- Understanding the role of psychological resources in mitigating caregiver distress is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between race, psychological resources (sense of control, caregiver mastery), and distress outcomes (depression, role strain) in spouse caregivers of persons with dementia.
- To examine how these psychological resources influence distress and if these processes differ by race.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study involving 77 African American and 138 White spouse caregivers of persons with dementia.
- Statistical analysis to assess direct and moderating effects of psychological resources on distress outcomes.
Main Results:
- Sense of control directly reduced caregiver depression.
- Caregiver mastery moderated the impact of stressors on depression and was the sole predictor of role strain.
- African American caregivers reported lower depression and role strain, but the processes influencing distress were similar across racial groups.
Conclusions:
- Psychological resources play a differential role in specific caregiver distress outcomes.
- Caregiver mastery is a key resource for managing depression and role strain.
- While disparities in reported distress exist, the psychological mechanisms underlying caregiver burden appear consistent across racial groups in this sample.